bkoganbing About the only reason to see this poverty row film released by RKO is the fact that the original story was written by Dashiell Hammett. Even the presence of leads like Ralph Bellamy, Fay Wray, and Melvyn Douglas can't save it. And anyone who thinks that they will see The Thin Man, any of the versions of The Maltese Falcon, or The Dain Curse is in for a rude shock.A shoddy production with bad editing can even defeat these talented people. Ralph Bellamy is a parolee released from prison and has Fay Wray who is trying to get away from her cad of a lover Melvyn Douglas. Cutting through a lot Douglas frames parolee Bellamy for assault and he has the dubious choice of taking it on the lam or finding out the real story of what happened to Reed Brown, the friend of Douglas that Bellamy is accused of assaulting.When you watch the aforementioned Dashiell Hammett classics you know how interesting Hammett's supporting characters are. The players do their best but it's like all that might make them interesting seems drained from the screenplay. The editing is totally slipshod as well.I'd watch this just to have an object lesson at how even a classic author can get butchered with a bad screen adaption.

blanche-2 Out on parole, John Bradley (Ralph Bellamy) has no intention of returning to prison. His first night home, he is visited by Helen Grant (Nell O'Day) whose father is the sheriff. It was over Lil that John got into a brawl that ended in a man's death. John is encouraging her to leave when a woman, Louise Loring (Fay Wray) dressed in a white gown arrives at his house. She's hurt her ankle trying to get to the train station - and away from Tony Robson (Melvyn Douglas). Louise thought that Robson lent her money for her singing career - but it was an investment and he wants a return that isn't monetary.Robson is there with a drunk friend (Reed Brown Jr.) who kills the dog that accompanied him (setting my teeth on edge), goes after Louise, is hit by John, and sustains a concussion, though John thinks he's dead. Tony informs the sheriff, and John and Louise go on the run to his cellmate Logan's (Roscoe Ates) place. It goes from there, with the police showing up yet again.This is an okay movie, with the comedy coming from the visit at the Logan's -- he's an ex-jewel robber who is dying to get his hands on the jewels Robson gave Louise. Bellamy's career in films spanned 59 years, and his stage career spanned thirty. Here he's 30 years old, playing a somewhat laconic role, though flirtatious with Louise - his sonorous voice making him instantly recognizable.Fay Wray was supremely beautiful and does a good job as Louise - though why anyone would walk in total darkness through what looked like woods to get to a train station is beyond me. I've seen too much true crime, I guess.There was nothing special about this film, it was just nice to see the beautiful Wray and handsome Bellamy as a young man.

Rainey Dawn "Woman in the Shadows" AKA "Woman in the Dark" (1934). It's not a bad lighthearted crime drama - would have been much better without the comedy - would be better as a serious piece but it's not bad as it is. It's not a complicated story - it's simple but effective for what it is.John Bradley is a man out of prison for manslaughter. He decides to live alone - he simply wants to be alone because he's afraid of his own bad temper hurting someone again. And for a man that wants to be alone he sure attracted a lot of company and that company leads him to fear he's killed someone again so he and his newfound female company goes on the run together. And for a tough guy that doesn't like chicks to well because they are trouble he sure turned out to be a soft romantic. 5/10

JohnHowardReid Escaping from a predatory rich man's embrace, a lovely singing star seeks refuge in the humble cabin of a newly paroled convict.Not exactly must viewing for even the most rabid Dashiell Hammett fan, this is certainly no Maltese Falcon but rather an American (or should we say a Canadian) mouse. However, that mouse is played by the charming Fay Wray, so interest quickens quite a jot (despite the fact that her close-ups are not all that flattering, even though credited to Hollywood's ace of aces, Joseph Ruttenberg). As the movie's titles roll by, the support cast initially engenders enthusiasm too. Alas, aside from Roscoe Ates (who is always a pain), everyone is below form, although connoisseurs may relish the chance to see dapper Douglas as the vicious heavy and perennial "other man" Ralph Bellamy as the reluctant hero. Production values are also distinctly below the major studio norm. Mr Rosen's direction is certainly nothing special, competent at best, heavy-handed at worst. Even more disappointing is a Hammett plot that, despite its potential, contains no elements of mystery and few of suspense. True, it has romance a-plenty, as well as a thoroughly conventional "cute meet", plus some comic interludes with Roscoe Ates and even Frank Otto (although note that dialogue writer Charles Williams gives his desk clerk self the movie's two funniest lines), but all that is not exactly the stuff that hard-boiled dreams are made of.